Tag Archives: Michigan State Spartans

Former Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman will be OC at Michigan State. (Photo: Toledo Blade)

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ichigan State head coach Mark Dantonio will name Jim Bollman as the Spartans’ offensive coordinator, according to a source.

Bollman was named offensive line coach on Darrell Hazell’s staff at Purdue in January. He was offensive line coach and running game coordinator at Boston College in 2012 after spending 11 years at Ohio State as offensive coordinator and line coach.

He will replace Dan Roushar, who left for the New Orleans Saints.

Bollman and Dantonio worked alongside one another from 2001-03 when Dantonio was defensive coordinator at Ohio State. Those three Buckeye teams went 31-7, including a 13-0 season and a BCS National Championship in 2002.

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ichigan State offensive coordinator Dan Roushar is leaving Mark Dantonio’s staff to become running backs coach for the New Orleans Saints.

Roushar was named the Spartans’ offensive coordinator in February of 2011. He had been with MSU since 2007.

Dantonio wished Roushar the best.

“Dan Roushar has been a loyal and dedicated assistant for the last eight years, including the past six seasons at Michigan State,” Dantonio said. “He’s a great teacher and a tireless recruiter. Dan certainly played a critical role in helping build a solid foundation here at Michigan State. We’re grateful for the effort and energy he’s invested in our program.

“He’s excited about being presented with the opportunity to coach the game at its highest level. We’re thrilled for Dan and his family, and we wish him nothing but the best in the NFL.”

Dantonio did not give any indication on his plans for Roushar’s replacement. Should he decided to promote from within, quarterbacks coach Dave Warner and running backs coach Brad Salem are the most likely candidates.

Michigan State released the following statement from Roushar:

“The New Orleans Saints and Michigan State are built on similar models, with a focus on character and people. New Orleans has won a Super Bowl, and over the last five years, the Saints have been one of the winningest organizations in the NFL. I’ve had an opportunity to work for Mark Dantonio – in my opinion, the best college football coach in America – for the last eight years, including the last six seasons at Michigan State. Now, I have an opportunity to work for arguably the best coach in the NFL, in Sean Payton. Professionally, this is an opportunity I simply couldn’t pass up. Now as a running backs coach, I have the chance to learn the interworking of the NFL.

“Michigan State is poised to have a tremendous year in 2013. I’ve been incredibly blessed to have worked alongside coach Dantonio, a talented coaching staff and gifted players. The last six years at Michigan State have been quite rewarding: six-straight bowl appearances, back-to-back 11-wins seasons including a Big Ten Championship and a Legends Division title, and four-straight victories over Michigan. It’s difficult to leave because it has been quite a ride, but professional opportunities like this are indeed rare. Coach Dantonio has built something special – it’s a program that pursues excellence in all aspects, not only on the field competing for championships, but also off the field in the classroom and in the community.”

Ron Burton is Michigan State’s new defensive line coach. (Photo: Air Force Athletics)

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ichigan State has hiredRon Burton from Air Force as defensive line coach.

A 21-year coaching vet, Burton joins the Spartans’ staff after spending the past 10 seasons at with the Falcons.

“He was simply dynamic during the entire interview process,” Mark Dantonio said. “We had an opportunity to share some ideas last year in a professional development setting, and we believe Ron is a natural fit in terms of defensive terminology and concepts. He also brings great energy and management skills to the coaching staff. We look forward to seeing Ron interact with our players and watching our defensive linemen thrive under his teaching.”

Burton believes the marriage is a good fit all the way around.

“We sat and talked football, and I was simply amazed at how the staff handled things,” he said. “I also had heard so many positives about Coach Dantonio from my peers – they all talked about his leadership and how he promoted a family atmosphere. Well, I got a first-hand glimpse of how the defensive staff did interact like a family.”

Burton has experience coaching in the state of Michigan and in the Big Ten. He coached the defensive lines at both Grand Valley State and Eastern Michigan, and was part of a D-II national championship at GVSU in 2002. Prior to Grand Valley, Burton was the linebackers coach at Indiana for five seasons (1997-01).

Burton was a standout player at North Carolina and spent four seasons in the NFL.